The purpose of the Outreach/Dissemination Core is twofold. First, to develop and maintain relationships with minority and underserved groups and community-based organizations (CBOs) to assist faculty and students from the academic partners to develop skills and expertise in implementing culturally appropriate outreach needed to conduct health disparities research. Secondly, its purpose is to disseminate the results of health disparities research to the participating minority communities and organizations and to the broader scientific community. The objectives of the Outreach/Dissemination Core are: (1) to develop new and strengthen exiting partnerships between the partner institutions and African-American and Latino communities and CBOs in rural and urban North Carolina to (a) improve community health and provide portals for the entry of African-Americans and Latinos into research, (b) reduce the level of distrust of African-American and Latino communities of health care providers and researchers, and (c) improve students' and researchers' understanding of issues related to minority health, health disparities, and research participation; (2) to work with existing or create new local African-American and Latino community liaison committees who will foster acceptance of participation in research projects to (a) assist projects and the Core in gaining acceptance by and developing relationships with minority communities, (b) engage in an interactive process with researchers, faculty and students in identifying needs, interests and priorities of African-American and Latino communities, and (c) analyze barriers to the participation of minority persons in research and develop strategies to successfully recruit and retain minority participants; (3) to disseminate information and research findings to the partnering minority communities, general public, scientific community, health care professionals, policy makers and media; and (4) to implement research and service initiatives that engage community partners in using research findings to enhance their health and well-being.